The Medieval Relics

Chapter 6: Seth's Refusal

Never did Albus hate Mark. In their first year and second year, Mark attacked relentlessly but Albus continued reaching out. After two and a half years of trying, their problems were finally solved and Mark reciprocated. Even in fifth year, when Albus killed Ridge and Mark started hating Albus all over again, Albus never hated him back. Albus kept planning for the day he would sit across from Mark and explain it all to him. There were some factors Mark just did not take into account. Now, it looked like Albus would never get that chance.

Four years ago, the very idea of Mark dying would have seemed ludicrous but as he saw the boy laying, motionless on the bed of the hospital wing, being one of the very few who stood over him, the possibility seemed very real. He still did not know what happened but he looked in very bad shape. Alex kept insisting that Mark was not hit with any curse in Hogsmeade and insisted he knew of none that was slow-acting with that kind of effect. How Mark was dying was unknown. All they knew was that he was dying.

Truth was, Mark was not yet dead but Albus could see why Seth said he was. His right leg was blackened, like he touched a terrible cursed object that killed his limbs. It looked very dead and Mark was in intense pain, whispering something inaudible into his pillow. Every few seconds, he would be declared unconscious before waking up again and screaming in pain. Minute by minute, the curse spread, the black decay moved from what started with his toes. By Madam Pomfrey's calculations, it would spread to his heart area in eighteen hours and kill him.

As Mark lay, Alex was telling Albus that Rose was in the Restricted Section with Professor Phoenix, searching for what might have been ailing his cousin. Albus' hopes were somehow not that high. Albus did not know what to say or do. Eric was hugging Mark tightly, crying hard, begging him to live. It seemed so unreal that this was actually happening. Mark was dying. By sunrise, he would be dead. A part of Albus wanted to cry too but he kept himself together. He knew he would spill once Mark died.

Slowly, the hospital wing started filling with visitors. Albus drifted in and out of sleep, waiting for Rose to show up. He got a shock at midnight. The door burst open and Alpha Greengrass busted in, breathless as he stopped at Albus, "Al… it's… it's Lily."

It might have been nothing but Albus yelped. He raced from the hospital wing and across the passages, taking every shortcut he knew until he almost ran into a group of people rushing through the corridor.

"Out of the way!"

"Make way, injured student coming through!" a woman's voice yelled.

"One step in front and we Hex you out the window, I swear!" a voice that sounded like Hugo said.

So it was, both James and Hugo took the front, threatening to Jinx whoever dared to stand in their way. Except Albus. Albus stood in front, watching in shock. What happened. Why Lily? Nobody attacked her. Except… Albus remembered the disembodied, mechanical voice. Somebody might have attacked her. But if so, then why did Mark fall as well? Alex insisted nobody attacked him. Plus, Lily was always with Hugo. Surely, if somebody attacked, it would be seen by then. They would be taken in. Suspended according to Phoenix.

"Al… out of the way!" James said loudly, snapping him out of his thoughts and interrupting the possibilities running through his mind.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Al, we need to go," James said slowly. "Lily needs our help now."

Albus allowed himself to walk with them. Lily was sitting up on a stretcher. She looked unhurt but he could tell something was wrong. "What happened?" he asked hoarsely to James and Hugo.

"No idea," James said, getting up. He seemed withdrawn, spoke softly, without his usual grin. "She's alive though."

"Every time any of us touch her, she keeps screaming and she can't tell us what's wrong," Hugo added, with a worried look at his cousin.

The two caught up to the stretcher carrying their sister. First Mark and then Lily… Lily's screams were magically silenced so as not to wake and alarm the castle but she was still in pain. That was clear. Albus could tell that it was not physical either. Something in her head was attacking. Why was it just them though? What set Mark and Lily apart? Or were they the only ones known? Were there other students in the castle dying as well? Or was anyone really dying? Did it just look like it? What was happening?

Hugo was blinded by tears by the time they reached the hospital wing. The Silencing Charm wore off and she was given noise again. Now, Albus could hear what she was saying, "NO! NO! Don't die! DON'T!" Was she seeing a memory? Hagrid, perhaps? "Al, Al!"

"I'm here, Lils, look at me, Lily!" Albus wanted to shake her but he knew Hugo would leap on him. He looked very close to leaping on even Madam Pomfrey if she did not fix her in seconds.

As Albus touched Lily's arm, she stared at him with wide eyes. She looked deranged but her eyes widened even more as she saw him, as if she saw him in a different form, "You too?" she whispered.

"Al, it's Mark!" Alex called.

Albus actually felt like collapsing. This was too much to take in. First Mark and then Lily and a possible connection to a voice that threatened them all. A voice from within their walls. Would Phoenix be able to discover who it was with the wands? Perhaps they performed a Curse in hopes of being let off the hook once they were found out. Perhaps they knew how to perform the Counter-curses.

When Albus looked at Mark, the decay had spread to all his toes and started on the rest of his foot. It was eating him little by little and it was progressing a little faster, as if defying attempts to help. Madam Pomfrey appeared very desperate as she tore between Mark and Lily, most of her time on Mark as he was the one in most danger. Eric was now openly sobbing.

The intensity got too much. Before he knew it, Albus felt himself lose focus and he fell to the floor, world going black. He felt pain. He usually never felt pain in unconsciousness or sleep but it was there. He wanted to scream but he could not. He found himself in a white space, like he used to when he met the inner essence that was Voldemort. Albus struggled in the white abyss, on the floor, clenching his insides. Finally, he felt something tear itself out of him and he felt even more pain as a hazy, smoke, black form manifested itself in front of him once again. He was hallucinating. Was this how Lily felt? Was she hallucinating in this area too? Albus' eyes were too teary for him to be able to look.

"Your time is numbered," a cold voice said, not from the smoky form but in his ears. "Your days are shorter and your soul is mine. Soon, your soul will be mine and I will be enabled to return to this world as a ghost, to haunt this castle forever."

"No, no, no, you can't, you're dead!" Albus insisted. "You're dead! Your soul was destroyed! I destroyed it! You lost!"

"Which is why you will ultimately face the same horrific death I had to face," the cold voice said in his ear. "I did lose… and so will you…"

Albus felt himself being shaken awake. Hugo and James were over him and Alpha nodded and ran off to tell Lily, who apparently asked for him. Albus found himself sitting up as James offered him a cold drink and Madam Pomfrey swooped down on him and stuffed some chocolate in his mouth. Albus was taking deep, heavy breaths, looking around. He did not seem to have been out for very long. Everyone still stood in their usual positions. Few had moved at all. He sighed greatly and yawned, "What- what happened?"

"Dunno, you just collapsed," James shrugged. "You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Albus muttered, getting up with James' support and standing upright again. He did not see the point in worrying James with what he saw. It was nothing to worry about after all. Thanks to Seth, and Soto now Albus thought of it, Albus was able to see to that.

"You sure, if you wanna rest…"

Before Albus could answer or do anything, the door opened again and in came Professor Phoenix, behind him Scorpius and Rose. Rose was almost jumpy and Scorpius looked rather proud of himself. "Scorpius found the answer," she said breathlessly to Alex.

"I sent Miss Lean over to fetch Professor Soot," Phoenix said assuredly. "He is an expert in these matters. He should manage something."

"Define something," Alex said.

"Something," Soot said, entering the door with Seth and Sierra behind him. "An object that is unspecified and unknown, sometimes refers to actions when one is particularly desperate."

Something, Albus could not explain what but something familiar rose up inside him as Soot, Seth and Sierra walked in. A part of him wanted to kill all three of them. Seth had betrayed him and he knew what was happening. He knew he did. The least he could've done was reveal more in exchange for something. Anything. Wasn't he supposed to be working for Harry Potter as well? Was this what he called loyalty? As for Soot… the sarcastic, laughable enemy called Soto who was still keeping the rest of Hogwarts fooled. How much was Sierra involved in this? Was she as evil as Seth and Soot?

Suddenly, such emotions disappeared and Albus felt them no more. He felt something recoiling inside him and he just sighed again, not sure what to make of any of this. Something was happening. Something terrible. Well, maybe Albus regretted feeling ill towards Seth and Sierra but he agreed with Mark and Alexis. Soto had to go.

Albus stayed put nonetheless, as usual ignoring such impulses as he watched Soot draw and trace his wand around Mark's ankle. The decay had stopped just before his ankle so Mark could still move his dead foot. What looked like silvery string came out and settled itself on and inside his skin. Mark stopped yelling but his eyes were still streaming. Albus became aware of how late it was becoming.

"This is a Curse, a piece of Dark Magic that decays the human body little by little," Soot explained. "I managed to stop the spreading but it is only temporary. Give it a year at most, Mr. Wallader will die."

Seth let out a small cough and walked out. Albus made a mental note to follow him and demand more information but he kept his eyes on Lily. Soot turned his attention on her next, "The more people who touch her, the more disturbed she will be. This is a particularly powerful and enhanced form of Legilimency and foresight. Her eyes see all but the present."

"She…"

"Is seeing the past or future," Soot explained. "Depends on her ability to See. We might need Trelawney to examine her. If you touch her, she will see something tragic, either a past event or a hallucination concerning you. Unlike Mr. Wallader, it is not life threatening. Best you leave her be. She is in less danger than Mr. Wallader. Concerning him…"

Albus did not stay to hear what Soot was saying. He followed Seth out, more at ease when hearing that Lily was in less danger. Trelawney would be able to see what she was seeing, or determine if she was able to witness the future. It was Mark he was worried about. When he turned the corner, he saw Seth sitting down against a wall, a hot water bottle in his hand. He did not look up, "Thought you'd come after me. My father's not gonna tell you everything. He claims there's no way to save him, doesn't he?"

Albus stood there, feeling very pathetic. He knew he would find himself in a new quagmire with Seth but he had no choice. If there was a chance to save Mark… "How do you save him?"

"Not telling," Seth shrugged, taking a drink.

"Seth!"

Seth looked at the bottle, considering it, "Hmm… hot water does nothing. I gotta start drinking coffee."

"I'm serious!"

"Here to beg?"

"I'll do whatever you want, ok?" Albus offered. "One favor for free, one equal favor. Please. Mark's my brother."

"Never treated you like one," Seth yawned. "Forget it, Al. There's nothing I want. Besides, I hate people like Mark. Let him die. It's poetic justice, isn't it? The bigoted, hateful, creep who hates it when his foster brother kills someone evil, gets to die. Besides, I'm too busy with Animagus training. And hey, I'm actually doing pretty damn well. More than I can say for Vulneroman, she's doing wretchedly."

Albus stood, shocked at him. Months ago, Seth was crying into Albus' shoulder because he was worried Simon might die. That same boy was now staring impassively, like he had never worried once for anyone, passing off someone like Mark dying. He truly did not care. "Wow… you really are a sociopath."

"Thank you," Seth said, getting up. "Going to bed. I have Muggle Studies in the morning. Remember Al, you asked me to take it. I decided to take you up on that suggestion. See you."

"Seth!" Seth stopped, back still turned and Albus pushed ahead, "Tell me how to save him, or I'll make you."

"Is that a threat? Wow, that's the fourth one this week," Seth shrugged. "New record. See ya, Al."

Albus was left rooted to the spot, staring at the corner Seth turned. He did not hesitate on sharing with James what Seth said and Soot, according to the boy was not telling the whole truth concerning Mark. Was he hiding anything on Lily? They watched Soot leave at around one in the morning before Albus fell asleep. No one left the hospital wing that night. Even Madam Pomfrey did not bother trying to kick them out. Scorpius was asleep on Rose's shoulder and Albus was curled up at the foot of Lily's bed. Hugo was careful not to touch her but he did lay his head on her thick blankets. Her hands were gloved so she would not accidentally touch anyone. Apparently, her lapses were triggered by contact of skin.

Before Albus knew it, the morning rolled around. After Phoenix saw Mark and Lily and talked to them, they were free to go. Eric and Albus supported a limping Mark downstairs. Albus knew that whatever caused Mark to nearly lose his life (Albus convinced himself he would make Seth talk), it permanently scarred him. His foot would never work again and he was only walking because it was very heavily casted and he was given a cane by Madam Pomfrey to support himself further. Mark still said nothing to Albus, still but he did give him a reassuring look.

Halfway down from the hospital wing, they ran into Aries. A sign of the old Mark crept forth when he smiled guiltily at her. She saw nothing amusing, "Anyone want to tell me why they thought it would be best I stayed asleep during the predicament of last night?"

"Erm… well"-

"It sort of happened suddenly," Alex tried justifying.

"I was actually screaming for your name and you never came," Mark muttered, small smile on his face. "Never felt so betrayed in my life, however short it proved to be."

Aries shut up. For the first time, Mark shut her up as she regarded him silently. Then, she took him by the arm. Her amulet started glowing but she did nothing with it. "I'll take him from here."

"Are you"-

"Trust me, he'll be fine," she said and she sounded so sure of herself as she said it. "Mark will live to a hundred and fifty." Albus would not tell if she really was that sure. She always spoke with confidence. The idea of her being wrong was foreign to her. Was this her arrogance speaking or was she truly that certain that Mark would live? Albus would not find out for a while and before he could really dedicate thought to the matter, he found himself at the Slytherin table once again, sitting beside Scorpius and Riley this time.

Professor Soot, their apparent new Head of Slytherin house gave them their timetables early that morning when everyone was seated for breakfast. Riley was sitting across from them beside his little brother Nate, tiredly pushing some chicken escalope and fries into his plate. When Soot passed him his timetable, he rolled his eyes, and knocked his head into his plate.

This year, for the sixth year, it was more complicated. Soot took time to sort Riley's timetable. It seemed he didn't get the results he wanted. "Defense Against the Dark Arts, ok; Potions, ok. Charms… no. You didn't achieve the results for them. Try Herbology instead."

"I have no intention of taking Herbology, it's boring," Riley yawned.

Soot looked back at the application Riley filled with Era the year before, and continued, "Transfiguration passed. Professor Trelawney was pleased to see you pass with a marvelous Outstanding on Divination. But I cannot think what you want with such a"-

"Then sign me up for Divination," Riley yawned, sounding annoyed that he was being bothered over something easily solved. "And Astronomy. And what about Muggle Studies?"

"Is Muggle Studies that special for you?" Soot asked testily. "Professor Granger, it seems does not accept people unless they have an Outstanding… very well. But you never applied for it? Are you sure?"

"Ok, then that's enough for me. Defense Against the Dark Arts, the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Divination, Muggle Studies, Potions and Astronomy. So, I'm done, magic my schedule."

Soot sighed, and shook his head. He flicked his wand at the schedule, and gave it to Riley before moving on to Albus and Scorpius. Soot looked at Scorpius' first, "Ok, Mr. Malfoy. You applied for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, Potions, and Charms. This seems like a very lazy schedule, Mr. Malfoy. Unfortunately, your Charms grade is not up to Ackerly's standards."

Soot took a while with Scorpius. Scorpius, it seemed needed Charms to get into the Law Enforcement which to him was a first step before becoming Minister and he was hoping for Muggle Studies despite it not exactly being required. His grade was poor. In fact, by the end, Scorpius only had four subjects written: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Very well," Soot conjured a schedule for him. "As you have a very lazy schedule, I'm afraid I will have to require you to take the Dark Arts with me this year. We will discuss your options after our first meeting. Mr. Potter."

"Professor," Albus acknowledged coolly, not meeting his eyes.

"You applied for… Curse-breaker," Soot read. "Glad to see you took me up on my suggestion. Let's see, you need Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Let's see… ah, you're in a similar predicament to Mr. Malfoy. You did not even take Arithmancy to sit the OWL. That is laughable. Fortunately, your low Herbology grade is fine as Vulneroman has lowered the standards upon receiving- erm- no students whatsoever for Herbology. Go figure. So, you are clear for six subjects. I suggest that"-

"Professor Era told me I could sit the Arithmancy OWL at a later date," Albus talked over him.

"Yes, that is possible," Soot agreed. "Not having taken the examination is better than actually failing one. Or you take job training. But, Mr. Potter, there is also the fact that Care of Magical Creatures is no longer needed as you achieved an Outstanding and such an OWL is enough for Curse breaking professionals. As for Arithmancy, it may be tackled within five years of completing your school year and with a pass from both the Examiners and the Professor herself. Once you have acquired both of those passes, you will have five years to tackle the OWL. The issue here is Curse breaking requires six NEWT's and you're lacking Arithmancy. So, you must either sit Care of Magical Creatures or you take the Dark Arts with me. I suggest sitting the Dart Arts with me and"-

"Yeah, no, I'm sitting Magical Creatures, thank you," Albus interrupted, giving Soot a glare.

Professor Soot met his eyes but said nothing. Soot wanted Albus there. After a small smirk, he said, "Nonetheless, it is optional. You are welcome should you change your mind."

"Fat chance," Albus muttered.

"Very well, so…" he flicked his wand, and his schedule appeared. Albus was loaded but he thankfully had at least one hour off between each class each day. It was so well put together that he could rest or do the homework required right after the lesson. "And five hours off on Friday," Albus added to Scorpius.

"Well, that's hilariously mean of the teachers!" Gabriel said indifferently, putting chicken escalope on the plate of his that was half off the table due to a lot of other dishes being around him.

And Scorpius got puffed up, smirked complacently, and said, "Well, we're cool that way. Can't wait till you're sixth year, can you?"

It didn't seem Gabriel was in agreement, and he smirked in a familiar way. Albus knew what was coming, "Well, that's arguable, considering their obvious rationale of grinding your nose to the desk for the duration of your breaks. I'd rather be fourth year the rest of my life."

"And don't be so mean to Soot, Al," Scorpius muttered, having noticed Albus' less than friendly attitude. "He's actually a cool teacher and they're actually teaching the Dark Arts in a fair way. I must say it's about time"-

"Trust me," Albus interrupted, looking down at his breakfast being bacon and eggs. Scorpius did not know that Soot was Soto in disguise. Not yet anyway. "I know Soot better."

"Oh, yeah?" Scorpius smirked. "So, is he like, your evil uncle or something?"

Gabriel took a fork and a knife to cut his escalope. He held his fork in a stabbing position, and as if executing someone, stabbed the fork down on the escalope. Then, Soot was interrupted with Seth's timetable considering what happened next.

"Galloping Gargoyles!" Scorpius yelled in surprise.

The plate, being half off, flipped over and shattered on the floor, and the escalope went flying up, and landed on Gabriel's lap. He stared down, the entire table laughing at him. Albus smacked his palms on the table in laughter, and even Gabriel had tears of laughter in his eyes. Still, this time, he looked embarrassed. "Ok, I did not mean to do this."

Suddenly, wands began flying from Phoenix's table to their respective students. Albus flinched slightly as his wand returned to his pocket where it was the previous night. Phoenix, of course, said nothing. He did not look up or anything but his eyes did scan the Great Hall suspiciously. Whoever made their threat might be caught very soon, Albus knew.

Scorpius sighed and looked at his schedule as they got up for their first lessons, "Guess we're splitting from here, Al. What's your first lesson?"

"Defense," Albus sighed.

"Oh, I stand corrected," Scorpius shrugged. "Wonder what Soot will be like this year." The two walked up to their first lesson with him on the fourth floor, anticipating their first NEWT level class concerning the Dark Arts and the defenses against them. Scorpius still did not know who Soot was and Albus knew he would have to tell. He would have to tell as many people as possible. The question was, would he manage when he had homework to do as well as a burned amulet into his skin and something called the Medieval Relics?